Brush



. BRUSH Filed July 13, 1956 I I INVENTOR. fir'ederz'c J'Bz'ckef aka ATTORN v5 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES BRUSH Frederic J. Bickel, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Osborn Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 13, 1936, Serial No. 90,308

6 Claims.

This invention pertains to the brush art and particularly aims to improve the manufacture and construction of hollow center end brushes.

Among the aims and purposes are; the production of brushes which present certain advantages particularly for use as elements of vacuum cleaning tools; absence of rough projections .or irregular junctions, edges, points and so on, which would cause difliculty in placing the bristles during manufacture or cause injury to furniture,

draperies, household ornaments and the like, by

catching, pulling or scratching; firm gripping of the bristles without damage thereto; simplification of the manufacture of such brushes; adaptal5 bility to manufacture with economical materials and methods of construction.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particular- 20 1y pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the-following description set forth indetail certain means and one mode of carrying out the invention, such disclosed means and mode illustrating, however, 25 but one of various ways in which the principleof the invention may be used.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my brush on the end of a vacuum cleaner attachment; v

30 Fig. 2 is a median section through the brush on an axial plane;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the brush channel;

Fig.- 4 is a perspective of a preferred form of retaining ring;'

35 Fig. 5 is a cross section through the brush at an intermediate stage of assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section through the brush, showing the final assembly step.

Thebrush, as completed, comprises a filling of 40 bristles I, looped about a ring 2 or 2 and secured in an annularchannel 3, which is of slightly modifled U-shape when seen in cross section in its final. form, and which has its opening pointed endwise, that is, in such a direction that the 5 bristles l form a cylinder instead of a disc. In use the brush is mounted on or secured to suitable holder means the principal intended purpose being to use it on a tube such as 4 which represents part of a vacuum cleaner attachmentI"i'Il1e inner surface of the channel 3 is placed on the tube by a sliding forced fit, or otherwise, as may be most suitable. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 6 the rim channel is somewhat narrowed at the open end to 55 constrict the bristles at I and thus firmly anchor the bristles and the retaining ring against withdrawal.

In the manufacture of this brush I have found it preferable-to use an'annular channel in the shape 3A, having straight inner and outer sides 3B and 30 respectively, Figs. 3 and 5. This channel is designated by the reference character 3 when the brush is in its completed form.

A preferred method of constructing the brush is to fill the channel 3A with the wall of the 10 bristles l looped upon the retaining ring 2 or 2.

In the manufacture of the brush a die 20, Figs. 5 and 6, shaped to support the bottom and the outer wall 3C, is used. The filled channel 3A is placed therein, or the empty channel may 'be placed therein and the die also used to serve the purpose of a holder during the filling of the channel.

Fig. 5 shows, in a partly sectional fragment, the channel in the die, there filled, ready for the next step, shown in Fig. 6. A central expanding tool, such as 2|, Fig. 6, conically sided with an outward upward taper, is moveddown by a suitably guided and driven actuating plunger 22 to expand the inner wall 33 of the channel 3A, thus constricting 25 the channel top at 1. My preference is to leave the wall 3C straight both for the reason that this makes a simpler manufacturing operation, and also that it avoids excessive narrowing of the top. of the channel and danger of damage to or wear upon the bristles at'the portion 1. The completion of construction by the forming tool 2| is shown in Fig. 6. It will be observed that the retaining ring, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, is of rectangular cross section, the specific showing being square. I do not confine myself to this shape of retaining ring, but may use a ring of ordinary wire as at 2, Fig. 2. My preference for the ring of rectangular cross section is that it may be more cheaply made 40 than a wire ri g, by cutting 01f successive ends of a seamless tube .of proper diameter and wall thickness. The use of square cut sections of a seamless tube-has been foundin practice not to be injurious to the bristles, and is more economical than making rings of'round section.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I'have invented a brush of simple and durable construction, free from rough or projecting parts, junctions or seams, wherein the bristles are held firm- 5 ly, but-withoutinjurious pressure at the point of constriction, and have likewise invented a. method of making such a brush which is simple, economical and quick and in some measure permits utilizationof less expensive material than has heretofore been deemed necessary, but withv out lowering the quality of the product.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the'one explained, change /being made as regards the means and steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

What ,I claim is:

1. The method of making abrush which comprises looping bristles about a ring shaped mem-' ber in an annular channel, and applying internal expanding pressure to the free edge of the inner wall of said channel.

2. The method of making a brush which comprises looping bristles about a ring shaped member in an annular channel, and applying internal expanding pressure to the free edge of the inner wall of said channel while retaining the outer wall in a supporting die.

3. The method of making a brush which comprises looping bristles about a ring shaped memwall in a straight-sided supporting die.

.4. The method of making a hollow circular brush with end-directed bristles which comprises providing an open-sided continuous annular channel, severing from a thin-walled tube short annular sections, said tube being of circumference mid 'way'between the inner and outer walls oi. the channel, looping bristles around said rings and seating said rings with bristles looped thereon in the channel, and slightly closing the top of the channel.

5. A method of making a hollow circular brush with end-directed bristles which comprises providing an open-sided continuous annular channel with walls no closer at top than at bottom, severing from a thin-walled tube annular sections of length substantially equal to the tube thickness, said tube being of circumference mid-way v between the inner and outer walls 01' the channel, looping bristles around said rings and seating said rings with bristles looped thereon in the channel, and slightly closing the top of the channel by expanding the open end of the inner wall.

6. The method of making a brush which comprises looping bristles about a'ring-shaped member, inserting said member with said bristles loopedthereon into an annular channel and applying channel-closing pressure to a free edge of said channel, thereby moving said free edge by a continuous incline to an extent substantially equal only to the thickness of said ring-shaped member.

FREDERIC J. BICKEL. 

